IT Support 101: Why Is My WIFI Running So Slow?

I think something we can all agree on in this generation is that slow WIFI is far worse than no WIFI at all.

Slow WIFI just adds to the stresses of work, streaming and social media activities - We don't have time to be dealing with loading web pages, buffering videos and delayed notifications, even if it is one of the most advanced technologies out there. Here are some reasons as to why your WIFI speeds could be too slow for you:

You're Running Your PC or Laptop Wireless Instead of Through Ethernet

IT Support 101: Why Is My WIFI Running So Slow?

If your house or office is small enough, then you can easily wire up an ethernet cable from your router to your laptop or PC, we would recommend to do this, instead of running on a WIFI network wirelessly.

As well as being much safer in the sense of security breaches, a wired connection is much faster, as it is a direct connection to the router.

Instead of your device having to pick up signals from what the router is transmitting, you'll achieve speeds much closer to what the router can max on. Your router will usually come with an ethernet cable anyway, so you most likely won't have to spend any money, instead you'll be making one minor fix!

You Have Too Many Other Things Running At Once

IT Support 101: Why Is My WIFI Running So Slow?

When you're using a router, it'll have a primary speed of 2.4 GHz, unless obviously you have a dual-band router. If you have other devices on and running in the house or office, such as smart devices, microwaves, baby monitors, wireless speakers, and security cameras, they can all interrupt your speeds. All of these operating at once, along with your router, can create a traffic jam of the same frequency, essentially blocking off your router from consistently transmitting the internet speeds you might need.

You Have Your Router In A Bad Location

IT Support 101: Why Is My WIFI Running So Slow?

Got your router stuck in a cabinet or behind a wall? It might be making your connection slower than it could be. Anything that blocks the router from transmitting its signal to you such as walls, windows and doors, can block the signal from passing through, meaning you're only receiving a proportion of the speeds you'd like. We suggest keeping the router in the room you spend the most time using your WIFI enabled devices in.

Keep your router as close to your devices as possible, this will allow the connection to work better due to the signal not having to extend as far to reach your device.

If none of these fixes work, give your router a reboot, it might just be playing up and not delivering the speeds you need. Contact your provider if the problem still occurs, most home broadband providers have a minimum speed guarantee, it is useful to check this in case you're not getting the speeds you are contracted for